(Left to Right) Brookdale students Douglas Andrews (Oakhurst, NJ), Alexandra Nevarez (Red Bank, NJ) , Anay Franco (Keyport, NJ) and Instructor Barbara Keogh (Belford. NJ).

The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of New Jersey (DDNJ), has announced that three organizations in Monmouth and Ocean counties will receive $70,000 in grant funding to provide dental education, and care to uninsured and underinsured populations.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center Foundation will receive $35,000 to provide preventative and comprehensive dental care for up to 250 underserved seniors residing in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Brookdale Community College Foundation will use its $25,000 grant to support 40 students enrolled in its Dental Assistant & Dental Radiology Program secure scholarships and hire a job developer, who will be responsible for assisting students with obtaining jobs in the field, and dental assisting and radiology supplies.

"Brookdale is very excited to continue our partnership with Delta Dental. This grant will give us the ability to purchase supplies and provide scholarships to students looking to enter both our Dental Assistant and Dental Radiology programs," said Nancy Kaari, vice president of advancement, Brookdale Community College.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern NJ will also receive $10,000 to provide dental education and preventive education into their programming settings, promote oral health literacy, and develop infrastructure that provides all children with access to age-appropriate dental care.

“For more than 37 years, a major focus of the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation has been and continues to be helping improve the oral health of New Jersey residents,” said Dennis G. Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental of New Jersey and vice president of the Delta Dental Foundation. “You can’t put a price on a healthy smile. These projects renew our oral care commitment to our communities and address the challenges they face head on.”

The more than $808,000 in grant funding will reach nearly all 21 of New Jersey’s counties through a range of mini or major SMILE grants that will help renew or start programs addressing the dental workforce pipeline and maintaining the dental health of seniors, developmentally disabled adults and children, disadvantaged children, and veterans.

This year, the DDNJ Foundation is funding a special series of grants dedicated to establishing or expanding dental assisting programs and school-to-career programs for high school students in memory of Dr. Gene F. Napoliello, who served as the Foundation’s longtime Chairman.

Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc. is New Jersey's leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 1.9 million people through contracts with groups and individuals in New Jersey and Connecticut. In Connecticut, Delta Dental of Connecticut, Inc. is a licensed insurer that writes dental and vision coverage on an insured basis, and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs.

Offering dental benefits since 1969, Delta Dental of New Jersey's mission is to promote oral health to the greatest number of people by providing accessible dental benefit programs of the highest quality, service, and value. They are a not-for-profit service corporation and, as a member of Delta Dental Plans Association, they're part of a network that provides national dental coverage to more than 85 million people.